Metamorphosis
by Black Stormraven
Summary: AU: Following her apparent death, Obi-Wan senses a certain assassin's resurgence in the Force. Traveling to Rattatak to investigate, he discovers something surprising: Empress Asajj Ventress. As the Clone Wars drag on for nearly a decade, both find themselves longing for a life free from the fighting...together.
1. Chapter 1

**Here's what's up: I was working on chapter 10 of Beautiful Tragedy when my computer decided to have a brain fart and erase nearly everything I'd already written for it. I was crushed. I'm trying to piece it back together, but trying to rewrite over 2000 from memory sucks balls. I got very unmotivated to continue with it for a while, hence this new story.**

**Also, this is actually going to tie in with another fic I started (and will post when it's done, of course), but you can read either of them on their own. **

**Hope you guys like it!**

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Obi-Wan looked around him with no shortage of awe and just a touch of confusion. _Is this _really_ the same planet Alpha and I escaped from?_ Where once Rattatak lay in ruin, now it was well on its way to becoming a flourishing world. He'd done a fly-over of the more prominent habitable areas and what he'd seen had amazed him: cities that were once left to rot were now being rebuilt. Weapons of war have been traded for tools to build. Once smoke-filled skies have cleared and gone quiet. And there was a discernible sense of peace over the planet, probably the first in generations. Given his last visit to the remote world, he's surprised by the drastic changes that have overcome it, but not the least bit ungrateful.

Landing his starfighter among jagged cliffs on the outskirts of the capitol city, Obi-Wan carefully reached out for the familiar Force signature that had brought him here in the first place. _There you are._ Yes, it was most definitely her. And she was close. But he couldn't reveal himself just yet. He had no desire for a repeat of his last taste of her 'hospitality', although he was fairly certain that she wouldn't resort to such measures again. Fairly certain…

Besides, he needed to do some mingling with the locals first.

With his hood drawn up and a little shielding with aid from the Force, he was able to pass among the crowds of the capitol with relative ease. Humans were still an odd sight to the native peoples, but even more rare were Jedi. As far as he knew, he and Ky Narec were the only members of the Order to set foot on Rattatak.

Avoiding the palace for the time being, Obi-Wan made his way around the city, asking people at random about the changes the planet was going through. Some merely grunted at him and continued on their way, others answered that they were happier before when the warlords ruled (these were the same people who profited more from violence than tentative peace), and still others doubted the peace would last longer than a few days before someone else took over and the violence erupted again. But an overwhelming majority answered that they were ecstatic that the constant warfare has finally ended and they no longer have to fear each sunrise being their last. "How did all this come about so quickly?" he asks.

"Empress Asajj," they all reply. "She's finally returned to us."

That's all he needs to hear. He knew from Kirske that before her fall to the Dark Side, Ventress and her Master were widely regarded as heroes of the people. Even after Narec was killed and her anger and heartbreak overwhelmed her, she was still seen as a hero when she tracked down the reigning warlords and slaughtered them. Although the Republic and the Jedi alike would always see her as an irredeemable murderer, at worst her people had viewed her as the lesser of two evils. Would they rather live under the violent rule of warlords who cared only for their own power and the suffering of others, or under a heartbroken woman who only sought justice for her fallen Master? For the Rattataki, the choice was insultingly simple.

Obi-Wan slipped into a shaded alcove and drew the Force around him to further hide his presence. He opened a secure channel to the Jedi Council, static and minor feedback distorting the line; this far from Coruscant it was the best he was going to get. "Master Kenobi," a deep voice responded. "Have you made contact with Ventress?"

"No, Master Windu. Not yet. There's been a development I haven't foreseen. Several, actually."

"What kind of developments?"

"Rattatak isn't the same place I left all those months ago. It was a perpetual warzone then. Now it's…" He searched for the right word to describe it.

"What, Obi-Wan?"

"Different." It's the best he can come up with. It's frustrating for someone who relies on his skill with words so often to resort to such a base, vague explanation. "The citizens credit Ventress with the changes, and it's something I don't think any of us ever expected from her. It appears that she's attempting to rebuild the planet." He didn't mention that she had tried to do the same thing even while still in Dooku's service; it was part of why Kirske hated her so passionately. He and the other warlords didn't want someone having more influence than they, especially through non-violent means.

"And how exactly is that faring?"

If Obi-Wan didn't know him better, he would think that the Korun Master was using sarcasm. "It seems to be going pretty well. The people are generally happy, at least more so than I'd imagined. The infighting has stopped, people are working together as a community, and there's a definite peace over the planet that feels new."

"It sounds as if Ventress might actually have given up her ties to the Dark Side. Even so, she will still need to face justice for her crimes against the Republic."

Obi-Wan paused. Master Windu was right, of course, but he brought up a concern that had been gnawing at Obi-Wan since witnessing the attitude of the people. He debated whether or not to give voice to his concern…for a moment. "Master Windu, I'm beginning to rethink this mission…"

"Your duty is not to rethink your mission. Asajj Ventress remains a wanted war criminal, no matter how much good she appears to do. One or two acts of kindness do not pardon a lifetime of crimes too unspeakable to mention." Obi-Wan envisioned the other man leaning back in his Council chair as a brief but pointed silence filled the comlink. "You are to find her, arrest her, and return her to Coruscant to stand trial."

"Yes, Master." _Although it sounds as if you've already decided her sentence without even the formality of a trial,_ he wanted to say. "But if she is in the capitol palace, the increased security may present a bit of an issue…"

A pair of strong, unforgiving hands clamped down on his shoulders, one of them wrenching the comlink from his fingers and switching it off before pocketing it. "Don't try to resist, stranger," one assailant said firmly while pulling Obi-Wan's hood down.

"Keep your hands visible and move slow," ordered the other.

_Well, blast._ Obi-Wan never even sensed them coming. Had he been so preoccupied with the turn of his conversation with Master Windu that he missed them completely? He kept both hands raised, palms out, to show that he had no intention of resisting or going for a weapon. The last thing he needed was to start a whole new conflict when the ages-old one only just ended. "Might I ask what I've done wrong, my friends?"

"You're no friend of ours, _friend._ Who were you contacting?"

He tried to get a look at the men (they were assuredly male by the tone and depth of their voices), but they remained behind him just outside his periphery. "My brother. On Dantooine." It was a feeble lie, but he hoped with a little persuasion from the Force they would buy it and he could slip away. "I was in the sector, and he's been looking to purchase some artwork from genuine Rattataki artisans, so he asked me to stop by and inquire about a few pieces."

"Uh-huh. Then why would our empress's name come up in your conversation?"

_There goes that theory._ Obi-Wan nearly groaned in frustration; he never even thought to encrypt his transmission to Coruscant. It must have been intercepted. He had no lie to explain that particular detail and the men knew it. "As of this moment, stranger, you're under arrest on suspicion of threatening the life of our empress."

It was a difficult task, but Obi-Wan remained quiet the entire trip to the palace. He sat in the back of the landspeeder silently contemplating endless scenarios and options he might have once reaching the place he never again wanted to be. He tried consulting the Force for the least violent and flashy method he might use to escape, but that all-encompassing universal power was oddly unforthcoming. It was unnerving; never before had the Force been so devoid of even a worst-case scenario when he'd asked for guidance.

If that wasn't enough to put the Jedi on edge, the sight of a number of armed and grim-faced guards milling around the palace's entrance did the trick. Thankfully the police leading him through the massive doors hadn't discovered his lightsaber clipped to his belt under his cloak. If they had wanted to search him, they would have done so before putting him in their speeder. So long as he cooperated with them they would have no reason to search him and it would remain hidden.

They marched him silently through the halls, one turn left, then the second right, into the main throne room. Several people clustered in small groups throughout the chamber, whispering as the stranger and his escorts passed. Obi-Wan tried to subtly duck his head to hide his face, but the task was made impossible without his hood. One officer peeled away from his partner and suspect to make straight for the elevated throne. For the first time Obi-Wan was grateful for the firm grip the other man had on his arm. Otherwise he may have stumbled at the sight before him.

There, upon a carved stone throne raised several steps off the floor, was Asajj Ventress. Gone was her Sith-like garb, replaced with regal robes of hew new office in varying shades of black and grey; he noted absently that she still favored the neutral color palette. She still looked very much a warrior with upswept pauldrons and serrated vambraces molded to her shoulders and arms, but she was every bit as resplendent as any Naboo Queen. Even from this distance he could see the clarity in her eyes, hear the gentle strength in her voice as she conversed with two others over holographic blueprints.

She was so engrossed in the hologram, adjusting the angle here and there, pointing out this section or that, that she never even looked at the officer as he approached. The only indication that she even heard him when he began speaking was the slight turn of her head in his direction. She looked down at his hand when he produced the confiscated comlink.

That got her attention.

Ventress's slender fingers took the device and observed it as if it were curious archaeological artifact. She seemed to be utterly confused by it…until a sudden look of recognition crossed her face. Obi-Wan felt her reach out through the Force…and her body tensed when she brushed over his signature. Maintaining her hold on both the comlink and portable holoprojector, she slowly lifted her gaze to lock onto his.

Obi-Wan resisted the urge to hold his breath, as if doing so could slow time down just enough for him to think of something to say. Or hold off the storm that is sure to come when her shock wears off.

What really happens is more surprising than what he'd imagined. "Thank you, captain," she says calmly before dismissing everyone, save for one of the two she was speaking with regarding the blueprints, from the room. "You may release him. This man is…an old acquaintance of mine from my exile."

"One could argue that we were more than 'acquaintances', my dear." The quip is out of his mouth before he can stop it. The subtle shake of her head and the sudden hardness of her eyes tell him that such familiarity is inappropriate. Cursing himself for the slip, Obi-Wan straightened his back and resumed a more formal tone. "Forgive my impunity, Your Highness," he said humbly, bowing low.

A slight nod of her head acknowledged his apology. She turned to the one remaining person in the throne room, an advisor of some sort apparently. "Tehnari, continue finalizing these plans. They're good so far, but the children's wing needs to be bigger." The other woman, little older than Ventress herself, took the offered holoprojector with a bow and exited, leaving her empress and her unexpected guest alone. "Plans for a new hospital. No parent should ever be told their child cannot be treated because of lack of space. Now, what brings you so far from the Core?"

"You, actually." There was no need to lie anymore, not when she would easily see through the attempts anyway. "Your…return to Rattatak came to my attention between campaigns and I thought it only appropriate to pay you a visit."

"So you could spy on me." She said it so matter-of-factly and plainly, without malice, without hate, that Obi-Wan almost took a step back. He was further stunned when she did something he never thought her capable of: she laughed. The uncharacteristic sound was actually more of a giggle. The fact that it's at his expense never crossed his mind; all he knew was that the sound was almost…melodious. "Despite how our last meeting ended, I can't say I entirely trust you, Obi-Wan."

"Understandable," he agreed. "But I do hope to earn that trust in time."

Ventress…Asajj, he mentally corrected, observed him for a long moment. She didn't use the Force to judge his honesty (he would have felt it if she had), rather her own natural intuition and his tells. Her own expression was unreadable, but he thought he detected a hint of smugness buried beneath the polite conversation. She had the upper hand here and she knew it. With one word she could order her guards, who were no doubt within easy earshot, to overwhelm him and use him as leverage to get the Jedi Council to leave her and Rattatak in peace.

Instead, she stepped down from the dais and said simply, "Walk with me."

The Jedi and the empress walked side by side down the grand halls in tentative peace. After she explained why he was brought directly to her instead of to the newly formed police stations (given how isolated the planet was and recent assassination attempts by those none too happy with the sudden peace, all off-world transmissions were being monitored), he attempted to make easy conversation. He asked about various pieces of art adorning the walls (he was surprised to learn that many of the works were done by her own hand) and what renovations to the planet came first after her return. He asked, she answered. To those they passed they seemed only to be old acquaintances as Asajj had claimed. But the casual appearance they both projected was merely a mask. With neither willing to break the illusion first, especially with witnesses in abundance, they continue the charade.

Obi-Wan couldn't help but note how everyone reacted to Asajj's presence. Every person that passed her did so with a bow or a nod and no shortage of respect. What especially caught his notice was the lack of something else in their faces: there was no fear in their eyes. "I remember this statue," he said as they approached the effigy of Ky Narec. "He was your first Master, correct?"

Asajj nodded solemnly, her gaze fixed on the stone one of her beloved Master. "After I turned my back on his teachings, this was the least I could do to honor him."

"You sculpted this?" He shouldn't have been surprised, but he couldn't help the awe in his voice.

"And still you cannot believe that I am capable of more than inventive ways to kill and torture people." The words are biting, but her light tone eases the potential awkwardness. "Master Narec was the only one who ever truly believed in me."

Obi-Wan studied the kind yet stern face of the fallen Jedi as he replied, "Not the only one, Asajj."

That one sentence snapped her out of her reverie and the façade she'd adopted since Obi-Wan entered her throne room. She turned to him sharply, all pretense dropped now that they were once again alone. "How did you know I was alive?"

A flash of embarrassment coursed through him. _Curious…_ "I felt you. Through the Force, I mean."

"So you decided to drop by and talk about 'the good ol' days' over a drink or two? Forgive me if I don't believe you're telling me the whole truth, Kenobi." She took a step towards him, holding like a sand cat staring down its prey. "You're here to arrest me and drag me back to Coruscant for execution."

"No. For trial."

"Don't delude yourself, Jedi. There is no court for someone like me, not for what I've done. If that's your intent you might as well save us all the trouble and kill me now."

"That's not-"

"Of course, I won't make it easy for you. I can still hold my own in a saber fight, and my guards won't allow you to leave this palace with your head still attached."

"That's not what I want at all."

"Then what _do _you want? Why couldn't you simply leave me in peace?"

She was suddenly very close, close enough he could see the tiny flaws in her silver eyes, smell the sweetness of her breath (had she just finished a cup of tea before he'd been brought before her?). He refused to give in to her intimidation, however. He stayed rooted to the spot as he released a deep breath he hadn't known he'd taken. "It's true, I was sent to take you into my custody, but that's not why I'm here."

Her voice dropped to a deadly whisper, more reminiscent of her old self but with infinite more control. "For once, stop talking in circles and give me a direct answer, Kenobi."

"Yes, I sensed your Force presence and wanted to find you."

"Why?"

"Let me finish, please. I don't know how or why I can sense you, but it's what led me to search for you after Anakin reported that he'd killed you on Coruscant. I knew that if I could feel your presence, then someone like Dooku certainly could as well." She flinched at the name. "I wanted to come to be sure you were safe from him."

She snorted. "How noble of you. At what point did you decide to change missions and arrest me instead?"

"I didn't. That was the Council's doing. They found out where I was going and made their own assumptions. I just…never bothered to correct them. If I'd told them I had no intention of arresting you they would have locked me in the Healing Rooms and had me tested for brainworms."

"And now that you have me in reach dozens of your Jedi friends will surely follow." A flicker of fear shot through her at the thought. Not fear for herself, but for her planet. If she were captured or killed, it would only be a matter of time before someone with more brawn than heart set Rattatak back into its old ways. Everything she had done, everything good she had tried to do would be for nothing.

Obi-Wan felt her fear as if it were a physical thing. He was quick to reassure her: "Not if I don't tell them you're alive."

"You just said they sent you to arrest me, and you made contact with them before my police intercepted you."

"'Intercepted' is a polite way of putting it," he joked. He sobered when he saw that she didn't find anything about this conversation the least bit funny. "I _could_ report that I was mistaken, that it was simply a trick of the Dark Side. Or that you had been killed by insurgents before I could reach you. Either way, provided you don't draw attention to yourself, you'd be safe."

A myriad of emotions passed across her pale face. Confusion, disbelief, distrust, and finally reluctant acceptance. "Why would you do that?" She's shocked at how tight her voice is.

Obi-Wan couldn't hold her gaze. He looked away, down at the carved feet of Master Narec. "I don't want anything to befall you, not if I can help it."

The news was too much for Asajj to bear. She couldn't process it all at once. In just a short span of time, he'd already admitted to caring for her beyond his usual respect for all life. Neither he nor she knew why, and neither was willing to ask the question out of fear of what opening that door would mean. Besides, he seemed more embarrassed than she by the revelation. She decided to spare them both from further embarrassment. Her voice was strong once again when she finally spoke. "You will stay here tonight, as my guest, of course. I can't let you leave."

"Other Jedi will surely come if I don't return to Coruscant."

"You misunderstand…as usual." A hint of a smile helped to ease the tension. "I can't let you leave until you see what I'm trying to accomplish here." She stepped past him to one of the broad windows looking out over the capitol. A breeze flowed through the opening and rustled her skirts as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Believe it or not, I'm trying to do some good here. Maybe by helping rebuild my world I can make up for at least some of my sins."

Obi-Wan instinctively went to her, one hand raised to touch her shoulder in comfort. He snatched it back when she abruptly turned. "Avanii," she called down the hall. A young girl rounded a corner and ran to her. "Have a room made ready for our guest. And inform the kitchens that he will be joining us for dinner."

"At once, Your Highness." As quick as she appeared, the girl rushed off to do as her empress asked.

"And you _will_ join us for dinner, yes?"

He knew that tone. And he was in no way fool enough to argue with it. "Of course…Your Majesty," he adds with a bow and the beginnings of a smirk. "I trust there will be an absence of poison in meal?"

She can't help but to return his playful smirk. It was surprisingly easy to fall back into their old banter despite the change in circumstances. "Oh, alright," she says dramatically. "If you must be coddled like a youngling, I suppose I can acquiesce."

Dinner passed all too quickly for Obi-Wan. Everyone present (architects, engineers, administrators, security personnel) was too wrapped up in their new posts and duties to spend much time savoring the food. Obi-Wan, though a guest of the empress herself, was relegated to the sidelines, a place he was quite content to be. With only a few curious glances thrown his way he was able to observe and listen to the multiple conversations and debates with ease.

He spent the first few moments of the meal searching for any sign of deceit on Asajj's part (it's funny how after seeing her again he thinks of her as 'Asajj' more than 'Ventress'), but as the minutes went by he found himself more and more entranced by his once-enemy. Her voice was gentle but firm, not like the hate-filled sound he'd grown accustomed to over the years. Where once her passion lay in slaying Jedi, it's now turned to re-establishing a cohesive government and maintaining the peace she had single-handedly brought to Rattatak; she had even done away with the barbaric 'judicial system' of old and replaced the gladiatorial pits with legitimate courts and prisons. The transformation from Dark Acolyte to beloved ruler is remarkable.

Obi-Wan was brought out of his thoughts when Asajj stood and bade a good evening to everyone, departing the dining hall with her chief architect to discuss plans for additional schools outside the capitol. Obi-Wan didn't linger far behind; with little Avanii as his guide, he quietly excused himself and made for his room. There was much he has to meditate on.

He was deep in the Force hours later when a familiar presence made itself known to him. "Dare I ask how you got in here without opening the door, my dear?" When he opened his eyes, he found her leaning against the bedframe, her eyes fixed on him in the darkness. "Whatever is troubling you must be of great importance to not wait until morning."

"You said earlier that you would lie to the Jedi Council in order to keep them away from Rattatak. Why would you risk your standing with them like that?"

Obi-Wan cocked his head at her. "I told you. If I can do something to protect you I'm not going to do nothing."

"But _why_? What are you so obsessed with my safety? Why were you so obsessed with me before Boz Pity?"

The questions take him by surprise (that seems to be happening a lot lately). He has no easy answer for any of them. "I…don't know…"

"Not good enough, Kenobi." Asajj pushed away from the bed and moved to tower over him seated on the floor. She wasn't angry, but she certainly wasn't going to let him hide behind half-truths and riddles. "Do you think me so simple that I would broadcast my Force signature across the galaxy for any of my enemies, of whom I don't need to remind you I have plenty, to find me? Or so weak that I can't defend myself should the need arise? Just because I could never best you in a fight doesn't mean I'm so easily defeated. Now tell. Me. The truth."

Obi-Wan remained a pillar of serenity in the face of her passion. A simple question of his own tempered her emotions instantly: "If you've been hiding your presence in the Force, then how did I find you?" She reeled back in shock. "There is some kind of connection between us, Asajj, deeper than a mere acknowledgement of each other's existence. I don't know exactly what it is, but it's why I was the only one who believed you still lived when Anakin claimed he'd killed you, and why no other Jedi could sense your…resurrection after Dooku betrayed you. I still believe, in spite of everything, that there is good in you, and I'll do everything I can to protect that."

Her shock faded from her face, replaced by growing irritation. "So I'm little more than a project to you."

"That's not what I-"

"I am, aren't I. Because you can't stand to be wrong about anything, can you. You've always got to have the last word, always have to impart your _great wisdom_ on lowly people like me."

Obi-Wan had begun to take offense to her accusations, but somewhere along the way he saw to the heart of her ranting. "Why do you hate yourself so much, darling?"

That one question, whispered so gently from the man she had once hated above all others, forced her back a step. Her eyes shone with tears of self-loathing in the gloom of the glow globes dotted about the room. She stared at him as if he'd sprouted a second head. "Are you insane? Have you forgotten all the horrible things I did in Dooku's service? All the things I did to _you_ in this very palace?"

"Of course not," he answered, as calm as ever. He stood slowly as if trying to soothe a frightened dragonmount. "But forgetting is not the same as forgiving."

Asajj couldn't believe what she was hearing, from him of all people! How could he say something like that to someone like her? "_How?_ How can you so easily forgive what I've done?"

He offered a gentle smile. "I'm a Jedi. It's what we do."

"And you wonder why so many see you all as fools."

He ignored the flimsy insult. "And I see what you're doing for your people. You've put an end to the bloodshed. You've stabilized your government. You're building hospitals and schools. You've become a hero for your people once again." He couldn't keep the awe from his voice the longer he talked, trying to make her see how much she's changed. He put a warm hand on her shoulder to drive away the last of her insecurities. "No one who is truly evil would do so much to help others.

"But I-"

He silenced her by grasping her other shoulder and leaning in ever so slightly. "Do not dwell on the past, Asajj. What's done is done and nothing can change it. Look instead to the future and all the good things you can do now."

She digested his every word without blinking, searching his face for the slightest hint of mockery or deception. Of course she found none. Only plain, open honesty and compassion. She smiled. "If you ever tire of being a Jedi, you could have a promising career as a diplomat, Kenobi."

"Oh no," he retorted with a laugh. "I'm far too big a coward for the world of politics."

"And yet you face down the likes of Grievous and Dooku on a daily basis." Her gentle laugh was beautiful to him in that moment. The desire to hear her laugh more often welled up in his chest without warning. In the ensuing silence he realized his hands were still on her shoulders…and at some point she'd moved closer. She noticed as soon as he did and quickly stepped back, suppressing a shiver as his warmth disappeared. "I will leave you to your rest then. You are free to leave anytime you wish." Instead of going to the door, she went to a wall, her figure illumined by the soft glow of the orb above her.

"What if I choose to stay a little longer?" He said it so lightly as to almost be a joke, but he knew the she understood him perfectly well. It was in the small smile she gave him as she looked back.

"Then you would be most welcome…my friend."

A press of her forefinger into an innocuous stone triggered a hidden hatch door, opening into a tunnel that Obi-Wan couldn't see the end of. "So that's how you got in here."

"Don't be so impressed. This palace is very old. There are dozens of hidden passages. In case the residents need to make a quick escape from angry citizens…or sneak away for a clandestine rendezvous."

He almost blushed at the sultry tone of those last words. "Or discreetly murder a guest in his sleep?"

Her face lost all traces of teasing, but her smile remained, shining out from her eyes. "Perhaps in previous life, yes. But not anymore."

The wall silently closed behind her when she stepped through the portal. It was as if she had never been there at all. Obi-Wan's own smile lingered as he replayed their meeting in his mind. It stayed on his lips even as he fell asleep, more at ease than he'd been since arriving on-planet. _Perhaps I will stay another day or two,_ was his last conscious thought.

_**Some months later...**_

Obi-Wan focused intently on the holographic map of Guter Wade space. Several green dots signified planets that had opened communications with Rattatak. Red ones scattered among them symbolized worlds that had not yet allied themselves, but were in the process of doing so. So far the green far outnumbered the red. "I don't have to tell you that this is beyond impressive, Asajj," he said wondrously. The holoprojection was almost hypnotic in more ways than one. It was a sign of growing civilization, of a world reborn from the horrors of war.

"It's not solely my doing, Obi-Wan." A pair of pale, slender arms wrapped around him, soft lips pressing a kiss into his bare shoulder. "I leave things like this to people far more experienced in these matters. I'm not much of an ambassador or negotiator."

"It's still an amazing progression in just a few short weeks." The last time he visited Rattatak was little over a standard month ago. When he'd looked upon this map then only a handful of worlds had been colorized to show their new status as allies. "Soon enough Coruscant will be begging to open communications and trade with Rattatak as well."

Asajj rested her chin on his shoulder as she looked at the map. "Let's just hope I'm long dead by then. I've not worked this hard to stay off your Republic's scanners only to be found out now." She reached down to deactivate the holoprojector and set it aside with the Force before resuming her exploration of her lover's flesh. She grinned against his skin when he hummed at the light suckle she gave his pulse point. "Unless you intend to turn me over to your Council yourself."

She said it lightly, but he felt the need to assure her anyway. "I wouldn't, darling. You know that."

"Of course." With all the grace of a Mon Calamari ballerina, Asajj pulled herself around Obi-Wan to straddle his lap. He groaned softly at the press of her bare skin against his, of her heartbeat against his chest. "After all, we'd have less fun if I was dead."

"I can't argue with that," he said with a broad smile.

"Well, Rattatak does have legends of spirits returning to their living lovers for a night or two. So technically you could try to argue that…"she leaned down until her lips just barely brushed against his. "But you would lose." A loving bite to his lower lip brought out a sigh of contentment from deep in his chest. Her back arched into his touch as he trailed his fingers up her spine, caressing every vertebra with delicate strokes. She purred into his mouth at the feather-light sensation.

When the need for breath outweighed their desire for each other, he cradled her head in his hands, his forehead resting against hers. "You know, I _could_ report engine trouble with my starfighter. That should buy me a couple of days at least."

She shifted purposefully in response, enjoying the way his gaze flicked down and the tightening of his hands as they slid down to her hips. "You know," she answered in a conspiratorial stage whisper, "I _could_ have someone hide your starfighter altogether. You never were very good at lying, my dear."

"Mmmm, I do like the way you think, my dear." He relished her gasp of surprise when he rolled her onto the bed and settled himself on top of her. "One of the _many _things I like about you." He laced his fingers with hers and pressed their hands into the mattress above her head.

They lie in the darkness after their passion is spent, their fingers still entwined, and let sleep claim them. For the first time in years, both are perfectly content and at peace. For a few blissful hours, there is no war, no past, no enemy lines. There is only a soul now fully healed and a man left to tremble in awe in its presence.

They parted ways the next morning, both returning to their duties as leaders, teachers, and protectors. Neither knew for certain if they would see the other again. A small contingent of Asajj's palace guard and closest advisors saw the Jedi off to bid him a safe journey. Asajj approached last, everyone else backing away to give their empress her privacy with her not-so-secret lover. She kept her words cordial, but not overly familiar. Only the sharpest of eyes see their hands touch, their fingers lingering on each other for just a moment, just long enough to convey their wish for him to stay but acceptance that he can't.

Asajj watched his starfighter disappear into the atmosphere with a melancholy smile. She quickly realized her hand had gone to her stomach and lowered it. She wouldn't be able to conceal her condition for long, but she couldn't risk anyone finding out just yet. Especially when she had only just learned the news herself. Especially when she hadn't even told Obi-Wan…

Obi-Wan hesitated before setting coordinates for a hyperspace jump back to Coruscant; it's fleeting, but for a brief moment he seriously considered turning back. In the end he pushed away the thought, sighed in resignation, and said to Arfour: "Let's head home, Arfour." His thoughts, however, remained with the planet's empress and the love he felt from her through the Force. He would hold onto the memory of that love throughout the remainder of the war, however long that lasted.

* * *

**There was originally supposed to be an epilogue, but it's actually turning into a full second chapter. So...huzzah!(?)**


	2. Chapter 2

_The Clone Wars have dragged on for far longer than anyone anticipated. Ten long years of endless fighting have crippled both the Republic and Confederacy of Independent Star Systems. Neither Jedi nor Separatists have been able to gain the upper hand. The deadlock gripping the galaxy has cost more than just the lives of soldiers and clones; it has robbed many others of so much more._

_ Asajj Ventress, former assassin for the Sith and bitter enemy of the Jedi, has brought peace to her homeworld of Rattatak. After turning her back on a conflict she no longer believed in, she has driven like-minded mercenaries, war profiteers, and would-be warlords from her beloved planet. In their places she has rebuilt Rattatak into a self-sustained world as its empress. _

_ Although she is happy with the changes she has brought to the war-ravaged world, it has been eight standard years since she has seen or heard from her Jedi lover. She cannot help but to wonder if they will ever meet again. Her heart grows heavier with each passing day, not for herself, but for the child Obi-Wan Kenobi never knew he had…_

"Karis," Asajj called, not looking up from the datapad in her hands. "I can't hear you playing. Have you forgotten the notes?" No answer. "Karis?" The datapad was soon forgotten as concern for her daughter replaced all thought of her next political move.

"Mother." The fear and pain in that one word lifted Asajj from her seat and into the room where her daughter sat with her instrument hanging loosely from her hands. "Something's wrong…"

Asajj knelt down in front of her child, examining her for any signs of injury. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

And then she felt it. A great wave of terror, agony, and suddenly…silence. She clutched at her head as the emotions bombarded her without mercy for what seemed to be a lifetime. When the sensations finally ebbed, she found her daughter grasping her hands with a strength that belied her youth. She looked up into Karis's eyes, _his_ eyes, and saw reflected in them a sadness so great that her heart nearly broke. "Karis, you felt it…"

"Yes, Mother," her small voice answered. "The Republic's war is over. But the cost…

"Do…do you think Father…"

"No." Asajj was quick to stamp out the very notion that Obi-Wan had been one of those voices that had cried out in the Force. "I would know if he were…" She can't even say the word.

Karis could see how uneasy speaking of her father made her mother, especially now. She quickly forced down the remnants of the foreign emotions and offered a suggestion. "Perhaps we should check the HoloNet?"

Asajj blinked. Though still very young, Karis was very much her father's daughter when it came to rational thinking. She smiled up at her before standing, keeping a tight hold on her child's hand. "Of course. Let's see what's happened."

It was worse than Asajj could have imagined: the Jedi had been utterly betrayed…by their own clone troops. True, she had once sought to destroy the Order she had believed to be so corrupt and arrogant, but this…this wasn't simple revenge. This was an extermination. The HoloNet reporters were calling it "Order 66": the Jedi had betrayed the Republic, and were dealt with accordingly by now-Emperor Palpatine. Asajj called it "cold-blooded murder". _Funny how that phrase should sound so foul to me now._

"Mother," Karis whispered. "What does this mean?"

Asajj had to think for a long moment. She couldn't begin to explain how everything had come to this, how the Jedi had grown so blind to the Dark Side that they could not see the very evil they had sought to eradicate right under their noses. "It means," she said at length, "that the galaxy is in very deep trouble."

"What are we going to do?"

Asajj couldn't tear her eyes from the screen. If she looked at her daughter she would surely think of Obi-Wan and open herself to a deeper fear. "What we are going to do," she said slowly, switching off the horrific images from the hacked broadcast signal, "is nothing."

"Nothing?"

"That's right." Much as it pained her to do so, she had to push aside her personal feelings for the sake of her daughter and her planet. "This is Republic business and none of ours. We will continue living as we always have in our own corner of the Rim."

Karis gaped at her mother. "How can you say that? The Emperor just committed genocide! No one will be safe, not even out here in the Outer Rim! The Jedi-"

"The Jedi were fools to not prepare for this betrayal, child," Asajj said firmly. "I detest the disloyalty, but their blind trust in their clones was their downfall. And now they're gone."

"And what about Father? Don't you care about him?"

The words stung. "Of course I do."

Karis put her hands on her hips, drawing herself to her full height, all one-and-a-half meters of her. "Then shouldn't we do something to help him?"

Asajj let out a shaky sigh. Karis was too passionate (and smart) for her own good. She knelt down to her level, her hands gently taking her shoulders. "Karis, hear me well: the best thing we can do for him is to stay out of it."

"But-"

"If we rush headlong into this mess, we'd only be drawing attention to him. And what good would we have done then?" Karis tried to argue, but she had no retort. Asajj softened her voice and brushed the dark auburn hair from her child's face. "We stay put. We carry on for the good of our people. We stay out of sight and out of mind of this new Empire. Am I understood?"

Karis dropped her gaze to the floor. There was nothing she could say that would change her mother's mind. "Yes, Mother." But she couldn't resist one last attempt at defiance. "But I still think Father will need us."

Asajj sighed again, this time in affectionate frustration. "I believe you are right. But for now, we wait." _And pray._

Mother and daughter didn't have to wait long. That night both were roused from restless sleep by another disturbance in the Force. Asajj could hear the voice, that voice that she had longed for for so many years, as clearly as if he were standing right beside her. _My love_, it echoed in her head. _The Republic has fallen. None of us is safe. I must go into exile. I can't tell you where, but know that I will love you with all my being from now unto the ending of the universe. I'm so sorry, my darling. Forgive me._

Alone in her chambers, accompanied only by the smothering silence and gloomy light from the glow globes, Asajj wept. She had not shed tears in well over a decade, not even while giving birth. The tears burned her eyes like liquid fire and turned her throat to sand. "Obi-Wan," she gasped in the darkness. "You fool."

"Tatooine."

Asajj jumped at the other voice, unaware that Karis had awoken and now stood in her doorway. She wiped at her face in the hopes that her daughter hadn't seen her give in to her weakness. "Karis, what are you doing up at this hour?"

"I heard it, too. It was him, wasn't it?" Her mother's silence was all the confirmation she needed. "We need to go to Tatooine. Now."

"Why would we go there? Our place is here, not on a Hutt's world. Now go back to sleep."

"No, Mother." Karis strode to her mother's bedside. Asajj sensed the change in her; this was not entirely Karis standing beside her. This was the Force guiding her, speaking through her. "We must go to Tatooine. We will be needed there."

"Karis-"

The child took her mother's hand and locked her bright blue eyes with pale silver ones. "We _must_."

Asajj looked upon her child in wonder. She had always known that a child born to two Force-sensitives as powerful as Obi-Wan and herself would be even greater in the Force, but it was still an awesome sight to see with her own eyes. A deep breath chased away her sorrow. Another instilled a steady calm in her heart. A third cleared away the haze in her mind and showed her the truth.

She tightened her hand on Karis's, laying the other on top of both. "We will." She offered a smile tinged with sadness and just the slightest bit of hope. "We will."

Tehnari, Asajj's closest advisor and friend throughout the whole of her reign, tried to hide her tears when Asajj informed her of the plans to leave Rattatak. She had tried to talk her empress out of such an absurd idea, but the words lodged in her throat when she saw the small smile on Asajj's lips mirrored on Karis's as well.

"Tehnari," Asajj whispered gently, "You are more than suited to sit on the throne. It was you who oversaw dozens of operations and helped me to keep my head during the more trying times. My time here has come to an end. I'm needed elsewhere."

"But where will you go, Your Majesty? What will I tell the people?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell anyone, Tehnari, not even you. Karis and I will be safe. We will be in good company. As for what to say to the people, I'm sure you can come up with something simple yet eloquent. After all, you did give a beautiful eulogy at Priestess Manicia's funeral." Asajj put a comforting hand on the older woman's arm. "I would not be doing this if it wasn't of the greatest importance. The galaxy is changing, and not for the better. Rattatak would only become a target if I stayed. Only under your guidance will it remain safe."

Asajj offered one last goodbye to her old friend before joining Karis on the boarding ramp of the small ship, taking her hand as if they were merely going for a stroll among the art gallery. "Your Majesty," Tehnari called suddenly. Mother and daughter looked back. The older woman, now Empress of Rattatak, opened and closed her mouth several times before finally saying, "May the Force be with you both."

Asajj was stunned; she had not heard that farewell in so many years. She didn't even know Tehnari knew what it meant to say it. But none of that mattered. All that did was that this woman was saying the only farewell she knew wouldn't be too little or too saccharine. Asajj smiled and raised her free hand in salute. "And also with you, my friend."

A half dozen worlds and ship transfers later, the endless desert of Tatooine came into view through the small transparisteel viewports. The freighter touched down in the landing bay of Mos Espa's port among a plethora of other ships, cargo and personal alike. Asajj and Karis, both hooded and cloaked in tattered robes that hid their royal nature, exited the ship and made their way through the busy ship port without a sound. They refrained from using the Force to mask their passage, relying instead on their own cunning and skills; Asajj's developed from years of service as an assassin, Karis's inherited from both her mother and father.

Once free from the near-stifling atmosphere of the city, accompanied now by a newly-purchased eopie, Asajj allowed only a small fraction of her Force power to search out the path taken by her long-absent lover. _There you are_, she thought when she found it. She urged the beast into a light trot so as to avoid unnecessary attention and tried to contain her rampant emotions.

Obi-Wan had made it clear that he'd intended to go into self-imposed exile alone. He fully expected to spend the rest of his life with only the twin suns, trio of moons, and infinite sands for company. She couldn't imagine what had driven him to this desolate world, but she could perfectly well imagine his reaction when she found him. In fact, she could imagine a great many reactions.

Would he be pleased to see her again? He hadn't contacted her in nearly a decade. Perhaps he had completed his personal mission to 'save' her from herself and had subsequently wanted nothing further to do with her. And what would he say upon seeing Karis? There was no mistaking her parentage; it was written all over her face from her blue eyes to her auburn hair, a blend of Obi-Wan's and Asajj's (though the former chose to keep her head shaved). It was in the strength of her presence in the Force, in her rational mind and her quick tongue. Would he accept the child he had helped to create?

Would he turn them both away and insist on living the rest of his life in loneliness and silence?

Asajj shook the thoughts away. They were beginning to depress and frighten her. She couldn't allow herself to agonize over things that had not yet happened. As Karis dozed in front of her, Asajj repeated his final words to her like a mantra, like a prayer: _I will love you with all my being from now unto the ending of the universe._

That confession, whether genuine or not, was enough to drive her onward.

The suns had approached the horizon when Karis stirred. She turned sleepy eyes to gaze up at her mother, who stroked her face as gently as she always did whenever Karis was sick. "He's close, Mother," she said softly.

Asajj grinned knowingly. "I know. Rest, darling. You've had a long journey."

"So have you, but you're not resting."

Asajj let out a small laugh at the innocent observation. "I'm your mother. I haven't rested since the day you were born."

Karis's brow furrowed in confusion. "Yes you have."

"Nevermind, dear. Just close your eyes. I'll wake you when we get there."

"You won't have to. He's over that ridge." Karis pointed at the rise of sand only a few hundred meters away. "Mother, do you think he'll like me?"

Asajj's eyes widened in surprise. Had Karis known that she had been thinking that exact same thing only moments before? "Like you? What an absurd thing to say. He'll _adore_ you."

Karis snuggled deeper into her mother's arms, the gentle sway of the eopie lulling back into sleep. "Good. I hope so."

Asajj braced herself as they approached the ridge. She tried not to think of what she'd find, but her imagination was quickly getting the best of her. When she looked down into the small depression against a rock face, she let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. She didn't know what she had been expecting, but this certainly wasn't it.

The hut was small and dirty, most likely not having seen a good caretaker in some time. The walls had been worn down by the constant winds and looked like molten rock in the light of the setting suns. Debris and scrap metal littered the ground around it. And a light burned in a single window.

Settling her daughter firmly in the saddle, Asajj dismounted and led the eopie the rest of the way on foot. She thought about calling out, but decided against it. She then wondered if he knew they were already there; the rise of the Empire wouldn't have dampened his Jedi perception, after all.

She didn't have to wonder long.

Her breath caught when he stepped from the doorway (which lacked an actual door). Aside from the shorter hair, the change of clothes, a few more lines in his face, and the crushing sadness in his eyes he hadn't changed a bit. He stepped towards her slowly, as if if he moved too quickly he would frighten her…or himself. He stopped less than a meter from her. His hand lifted as if to touch her to reassure himself of her presence, but dropped it just as suddenly. Asajj couldn't think of a single thing to say.

But he could. "Hello there."

The sound of his voice, as raw and pained as it was, broke her. She closed the gap between them and sealed her lips over his. He hesitated for only a moment before returning the kiss and gathering her in a tight embrace. Even when the salty taste of tears interfered, even when their lungs burned for oxygen they refused to part. Only the sudden bleat of the eopie behind her snapped them out of their trance. "Hello yourself," she gasped in delayed response.

Obi-Wan let out a gentle laugh, his hands keeping a firm grip on her waist. He looked at her as if she were some divine thing, something so great and awe-inspiring that he was unworthy to be in her presence. "H-How…"

"It wasn't me. You can be a difficult man to track down, but I had a little help."

He tensed in her arms. "What do you mean?"

She was about to respond when she felt a tug on her robe. "Mother, can I say hello, too?"

Only then did Asajj release her hold on Obi-Wan, her hands guiding Karis forward into the fading light. "Of course. Obi-Wan Kenobi, this is Karis. My daughter." She watched his face closely, dreading what she might see but needing to see it regardless. If he intended to disavow them she needed to know now to spare them all the heartache.

His eyes widened. "Your…daughter…"

"And yours."

Time stopped. Even the suns seemed to pause in their descent to watch the scene unfolding before them. Asajj kept her eyes fixed on Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan stared down at Karis. His face was unreadable, but shock was plainly evident in his features. Now the question was whether it was shock born from overwhelming joy…or vehement denial.

Karis, oblivious to the warring emotions raging in her parents and simultaneously unconcerned with the politics of adults, broke the silence first. "Hello, Father. I've waited a long time to see you. Why did you never come visit us?"

That snapped him out of his shock. He knelt down in front of her, one hand tentatively reaching out to touch her hair. His fingers shook. "I…I never knew…"

"But you never contacted Mother either."

"Karis," Asajj warned.

"Well, it's true. If he loved you so much why didn't he ever call?"

Asajj looked at Obi-Wan in apology for her daughter's boldness. He looked at her in apology for eight years of silence. "I wanted to, young one. I truly did. But the war kept me from her. Your mother had rebuilt her entire planet, and my presence there would have put all of that in danger. I thought staying away was the best thing for her…and you, it seems."

Karis looked him over for a long moment, her lips pursed in deep thought. She didn't seem to think his explanation was good enough.

Obi-Wan continued when he saw he wasn't going to be forgiven so easily. _Like mother, like daughter._ "I do love your mother very much. And because I loved her, I couldn't put her at such risk." He didn't mention that having a child violated one of the most basic rules of the Jedi Order. "I wanted to keep her safe from the war. She'd seen too much of it already."

Karis's expression didn't change. Her eyes stayed locked on him even as he looked down at her feet. Guilt and shame poured from him, making Asajj's heart go out to him. He had probably kept himself away with great difficulty over the years and was now being forced to confront his choice by a child. But not just any child: _his._

Asajj decided to spare him further anguish. She stepped forward and gently pulled Karis back. "That's enough, child. I'm sure he's beaten himself up about it enough without your help."

"No," he said suddenly, rising to stand level with her again. "I should have at least contacted you. Leaving you like that, and with…in your…condition…that was unforgivable."

Asajj took his face in her hands, the scratch of his beard against her palms a most welcome sensation. "What I did during the war, _that _was unforgivable. And yet you found a way to forgive me anyway. I knew the risks I was taking when our relationship…changed. I knew the war and your Jedi Order were more important. You only did what you had to do, my love. Don't blame yourself for that."

He turned into her palm, kissing her skin and deeply inhaling her scent. "There is a lot I blame myself for these days, Asajj."

She knew he was talking about Skywalker. The sorrow emanating from him could only be so strong if it was connected to him. Something had happened; perhaps he had been a victim of Order 66 with the rest of the Jedi. She would force him to face that pain in order to overcome it eventually, but not tonight. Not until he had had time to properly grieve. It was what he would have done for her if their positions were reversed. He'd saved her from herself several times over; the least she could do was return the favor once.

Asajj leaned her forehead against his and closed her eyes. She sent waves of love and comfort to him through the Force, thankful that his shoulders lost their tension. "Don't think about that right now, my love. Leave it be."

Obi-Wan let out a pained laugh before wrapping his fingers around her hands. "I do believe motherhood has made you mellow, my dear." He returned her small smile but sobered quickly. "I was right." He met her eyes with a tearful gaze. "You could have been one of the Order's brightest lights if you had chosen to come with me when we first met. But right now I'm glad you didn't."

"Why?" The word broke in her throat.

"Because you wouldn't be standing here now." He shifted his gaze to Karis, who had grown tired of the "mushy" conversation and was now feeding the eopie a stalk of desert grass. "And neither would she."

Asajj traced her fingers over his hairline, drifting down his cheekbones to the line of his jaw. "Does this mean you're not sending us away?"

He looked at her as if she'd just proclaimed up was down and gravity no longer existed. "Why in space would I do that?"

She smiled as the weight of dread that had settled in her breast lifted at those words. "Just making sure. You are a man of contradictions, after all."

"Mother!" Karis called suddenly. "Bodin had a friend!"

They turned to see a second eopie approaching the child, curiosity blazing in the beast's eyes. "Bodin?" Asajj repeated. "You've named it already?"

Obi-Wan laughed. "It seems Rooh won't be the only one without company now. If you'll stay, that is."

"Why in space would I leave?" She smiled again as she turned his own words against him.

Another kiss, mostly to assure themselves that this was no hallucination or false dream, left both the former Jedi and empress breathless, yet content for the first time in a very long time. "Come inside," Obi-Wan whispered against her smiling lips. "Tatooine nights can get rather cold."

All five of them, Bodin and Rooh included, crowded into the small hut. Obi-Wan only let go of Asajj's hand when she pulled a blanket over Karis, who had curled onto the couch and promptly fallen asleep; the day had been long indeed for the little one. The eopies took to a corner and soon followed Karis's lead into sleep.

Now there was only Obi-Wan and Asajj. He extended a hand, his eyes brimming with love and happiness and relief, that sadness still present but now secondary to all else. She wrapped her fingers around his without hesitation and allowed him to lead her into a small bedroom.

No words were spoken; none needed to be. They simply rediscovered each other, their fingers tracing over scars both old and new, ones they knew the stories behind and ones that remained mysteries to each other. Each pass of fingers over flesh, each press of lips to warm skin strengthened the love that had been unfulfilled for eight long years but never diminished. Each sigh and gasp was a promise. And the explosion of heat in their bodies and light behind their closed eyes as their passion found its inevitable end reaffirmed the bond that they had shared for so many years.

Obi-Wan would always feel as if the weight of the galaxy rested on his shoulders, the weight growing each day when he rode out across the Wastes to check on Luke, but with his new family at his side the loneliness of the desert after the dense crowds of Coruscant didn't seem so bad. _Perhaps Karis and Luke together can be the hope the galaxy needs._

* * *

**Yes, I named their daughter after one of the Nightsisters in ****_The Clone Wars_****. She seemed to be a good friend of Asajj's (at least that's what was implied by Asajj's concern for her when she lay dying), so I wanted to honor her memory a little bit in this.**


End file.
